Yorkshire Rock and Bike Show 2014

We’ve had a fairly busy few weeks, what with holidays and festivals and things. And the weekend just gone was no exception.

On Friday we decided quite late on – i.e. after I’d finished the most pressing work on my desk – that we’d go camping to the Yorkshire Rock and Bike Show at Squires, the bikers’ café in Sherburn in Elmet. The late decision was due mainly to the up and coming weather forecast – there was a hurricane on the way – but also due to my workload and whether or not I’d finish on time. If the weather was bad, or if I didn’t finish the work, we’d just go and come back Friday evening and several times during Saturday. Otherwise we were camping …

… so we decided to camp. And it was the dog’s first ever camping holiday.

Tent’s first airing. (Picture: Diane Parkin)

We pitched the tent in relatively dry conditions, but as soon as we hit the last peg in, it started to spit with rain.

The first band, Powerage, had just started just as we arrived at the ground, just as the rain had.

They continued on through their set, and Joolz (“Angus”) even got down at the end to perform in the rain with all the dancers who were braving it out. But the second band, Lovehunter, sadly only managed 3 songs before 3 powercuts and far too much rain caused them to pull out.

We found some shelter in our friend’s army and navy surplus stall. (Picture: Ian Wordsworth)

We had something to eat in the café while this decision was being made, but when the following 3 bands were also cancelled (Invisible Idols, Cash and Rory Holl and the Men), we decided to leave the tent for the night and come back tomorrow if the weather had improved. We found out the next morning that Cash had been able to play indoors, but not until 11pm, so we were glad we’d headed home.

The roads were treacherous with torrential storms all the way and quite a few abandoned cars on the roadside. We had a lovely warm, dry, comfortable night, then headed back to the show on Saturday morning. I insisted on us looking for some wellies first, though. My old faithfuls had finally given up the ghost over the winter when they were apparently ripped, and Ian didn’t have any. So we went to get some before heading back to the muddy campsite.

We missed the first band, Red Dog, and we wanted to check on the tent before re-joining the show. And, amazingly, it was both still standing and quite dry. We tightened the guy ropes and went back to watch Bigmouth.

We hung around, chatted to friends, took pictures, and had hotdogs for lunch.

The Yorkshire Rock and Bike show from the car park across the road. (Picture: Ian Wordsworth)Hotdog for lunch. (Picture: Ian Wordsworth)The Yorkshire Rock and Bike show from across the road. (Picture: Diane Parkin)

Then we headed back to the tent for a bit of a break – for us as much as the dog. I needed to sit down and he needed to calm down. He was getting so much fuss and attention with lots of people recognising him from Facebook, he was getting giddy. So we went back for a bit of a rest.

And what a difference a day makes. The weather was glorious while we chilled and listened to the cricket. But we missed the actual bike show.

Chilling in the sunshine. (Picture: Diane Parkin)Chilling in the sunshine. (Picture: Ian Wordsworth)

Back at the gig, we caught Mad Jack and the Hatters, a fun, rockabilly band …

We were back in the tent before the fireworks went off, which Rufus didn’t like at all. But he’d been brilliant for the whole time, loved it on the campsite, didn’t make a song and dance about the loud music, and spent the entire night – the entire night – in his basket instead of trying to get into bed with us … although he didn’t like the airbed much.

What a fantastic weekend. It was well organised, well managed, well attended, we felt safe and secure and we saw lots of friends, old and new. At 9am we packed up the tent, needed help jump starting the car (as leaving the glove compartment open the day before left a light burning and that drained the battery), said goodbye to our friends, and were home 20 minutes later … just in time for another cracking thunderstorm.